It is not easy to get opportunities to play this game, as a minimum of six players are needed (and all of them should be interested in playing it, too!) Our family is very addicted to this game. I learnt it in my childhood from the family of Alamelu Mami (I learnt many wonderful card games at their home in Kolkata), and have also passed on a liking for it to the Shaffer family, to whom I introduced the game when they visited in 2000. Another problem is that each game lasts about 45 minutes, going up to beyond an hour if there are 8 people (there were, the last two days!)

Since we have people of varying ages and approaches, it becomes a hilarious compendium of smart moves, forgetfulness, mistakes, and sudden recollections of other games played in the past.Idiotic jokes, witty remarks, red herrings, teaching the younger ones the nuances…all form part of the enjoyment of this game. I still do not know how or why this game got its name!

I often feel that companies need not conduct exhaustive interviews…just playing games with the candidate will give a very good idea of the person’s…er…personality.

On this board games post I must also mention Vinit and Surabhi Bhansali who have always thrown open their home most hospitably for board games, and at whose place I’ve spent many enjoyable Sunday afternoons!

Many of A’s friends used to visit me even after she’d gone to the US to study, and we would have regular evenings of board games….most of these friends are in the US themselves, now, and are too busy with careers and family…but the day will come when they get back to board games once again.

I also remember a board game parlour called Brewhaha (a pun on Brouhaha) which was very popular in Bangalore. It no longer operates in the old location in Koramangala, and perhaps it’s closed down.

I’ve included Wiki links for the games…but reading about a game is just not interesting…one has to get into a group that’s playing the game, and learn it!